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Offering a full range of tailored interior design services via his namesake firm, Brad Ramsey Interiors, the designer creates curated and collected spaces that are specific to the lifestyle and aesthetic needs of his clients—including the owners of this home. The Nashville-based designer gives some background on this incredible project and shares the secrets to success—plus, how he finds a balance between his own diverse style and that of the clients who inspire each of his unique projects.
To see the Franklin home we reference in our Q & A below, click here.
What are some of your favorite aspects of this home?
I love the flow of the house, designed by Andrew King. The house is large in square footage but doesn’t feel overly palatial in any space. There is a good flow throughout the main public spaces that gives plenty of room to entertain, but also each room feels cozy and intimate. I also love that we did ceiling treatments in almost every room. Our client wanted the twelve-foot ceilings to not take away from the house feeling comfortable and inviting. So, we combined moments of shiplap, wood beams, and coffered ceiling to achieve that.
What elements of design did you incorporate into the home to achieve a modern farmhouse look?
Modern farmhouse has become a pretty broad category and you will find all kinds of differing takes on that. For this home, the architecture, shiplap, and beam details along with the use of simple subway tiles and stained wood accents throughout the home really capture this aesthetic. Pair that with the exterior stone, front porch swing, and board and batten details and you can see why the house achieves the modern farmhouse feel. My client’s taste in furnishings is a little more transitional in style with some more formal pieces mixed in. In the end, what I love is that it is very true to who they are and how they live.
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Tell us a little bit about your own background and how you became a designer.
I actually came to Nashville for music, receiving a vocal performance degree from Belmont University with a minor in studio art. Interior design was never in my plans, even though I always loved architectural design. I even considered a degree in architecture, but ultimately went a different direction thinking that I would be stuck doing structural details when I wanted to be able to dictate the look and feel of a house. I never knew that interior design doesn’t just have to be the selection of furniture and fabrics. In my case, it includes specifying the interior architectural details of a home and working hand-in-hand with architects and homeowners throughout the process. Being able to direct the narrative of making a house into a home that is specific to the lifestyle and aesthetic of my clients is why I love what I do.
What are your favorite things about your job?
People are my favorite part of the job. Learning what makes people tick, how they live in their homes, and how they define beauty is such a fun process. And it is different with every single client. Over my career I will design many homes and hopefully have a lot of projects that I am incredibly proud of, but more satisfying than that is hearing a client say that I captured their aesthetic in a way that they would never have been able to verbalize. I absolutely love walking a client through the hundreds of decisions that have to be made during the build process and then when the project is complete, they feel like the home looks like them and is perfectly tailored to their lifestyle.
How would you describe your design style?
As a design firm, I like to think that every project we do is different and unique from the last. Whether it is a primary residence, a second home at the beach or lake, or a high-rise rental unit, the carryover is how we layer and balance a space. How and where we choose to use texture, finishes, neutrals, or colors is specific to each project and to the client’s individuality. So, my style is diverse and inspired by each unique project. I always bring my own sense of space, layering, and use of textures to make it feel balanced. Those design choices are purposefully edited and honed to reach the desired outcome. The subtleties of good design are what makes a space just feel right. I try to always strike that balance even if the style of the project is completely opposite from the last.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere! Magazines, Instagram, movies, and TV shows. Most people might be watching the drama unfolding on the screen, but I am probably paying attention to the architecture, wallpaper, and lighting and how they look together. My brain is always absorbing inspiration. I also find a lot of inspiration getting to know my clients. They truly do provide the necessary background info that informs the design and makes it unique.